Newsletter

Apartment complexes continue to change hands in Jacksonville. Under different LLCs, DRA Advisors, a New York and Miami investment advisory firm, made four really big purchases recently:

■ Westland Park Apartments on Collins Road for $24 million.

■ The Kensley on Collins Road for $27 million.

■ The Antlers on Southside Boulevard for $29 million.

■ Greentree Place on Princeton Square South for $24 million.

DRA Advisors bought the Carlyle at Bartram Park last year for $29.25 million and also owns office buildings on Gate Parkway at Baymeadows Way.

BIG GAP

Although home prices seem to have stabilized and begun creeping upward, it’s still amazing how far they fell. And, of course, you see the greatest difference the higher you go.

A condominium at The Waterford in Jacksonville Beach recently sold for $518,000 after selling for $900,000 in 2004.

A home on Bella Riva Lane in Eagle Harbor recently sold for $600,000 after selling for $1.2 million in 2005.

JOBS

JAXUSA Partnership has released a list of job growth in Jacksonville so far this year:

■ National Healing Corp.: 69 new jobs, 89 retained jobs.

■ Web.com: 200 new jobs.

■ Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie: 200 new jobs, 891 retained jobs.

■ GE Capital: 220 new jobs.

■ Citibank: 400 new jobs.

■ Novitas Solutions: 250 new jobs.

■ 2G-Cenergy Power Systems Technologies, Inc: 125 new jobs.

■ Latitude Software: 30 new jobs, 41 retained jobs.

■ Caterpillar Work Tools: 39 new jobs, 77 retained jobs.

■ Definitive Design: 30 new jobs.

■ KCI Aviation: 30 new jobs.

■ Mayo Clinic: 400 new jobs.

PROPS

Turning Point Propellers has moved its headquarters from Chicago to Jacksonville. It’s not big in terms of people. Ron Bailey, vice president of sales and marketing, said the office off Central Parkway will only have four people when it’s fully staffed.

But the research and development end of it could be interesting. Bailey said the company hopes to use area boaters to test some of its new props.

The problem with Chicago, he said, is that the water tends to freeze in the winter. Down here, they can test for 12 months a year.

Turning Point is a private company and Bailey said he couldn’t reveal its annual revenue, but said it’s the third-largest propeller maker in the country. Manufacturing will stay in Chicago, up there in the frozen North.

SALES

■ KB Home bought 13 more lots in Wexford Chase on Sunbeam Road for $599,000. The builder began work on the subdivision last year and has already sold 52 of the 65 homes planned there. Prices have ranged from $175,000 to $250,000. KB Home also bought 25 more lots in Adams Way off Hood Landing Road.

■ Zions First National Bank of Orlando purchased a property at 7605 Beach Blvd. for $300,000. That’s the former Thirsty Iguana, which opened in December but closed several months later.

It was Fontana Italian Restaurant before that. The building sold for $750,000 in 2005.